-
Upcoming Gigs & Albums
Latest Album Reviews
Latest Gig Reviews
GRTR! Greats
Featured Album Reviews
Features
Interviews
Single & EP Reviews
DVD Reviews
Book Reviews
News
Author Archives: jason
Album review: DENNIS CHURCHILL-DRIES – Crazy Is This Life
AOR Blvd Records [Release date 30.01.26] Former White Sister and Tattoo Rodeo vocalist Dennis Churchill-Dries is back with another album packed full of classy melodic rock. He’s joined by Steve Newman on guitar & keys, along with Newman drummer Rob … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, AOR Blvd Records, Dennis Churchill Dries, hard rock, melodic rock, review, rock, Steve Newman, Tattoo Rodeo, White Sister
Leave a comment
EP review: LEAVES’ EYES – Song of Darkness
Reigning Pheonix Music [Release date 06.03.26] Leaves’ Eyes have been around since 2003 and still feature vocalist (growls), keyboards player and producer Alexander Krull, with Finnish soprano Elina Siirala fronting the band since 2016. The EP also marks the recording … Continue reading
Album review: GOTTHARD – More Stereo Crush
Reigning Pheonix Music [Release date 13.03.26] Gotthard released ‘Stereo Crush’ last year and now have a follow on eight-track EP. Five songs are previously unreleased from the ‘Stereo Crush’ sessions, ‘Mayday’ had only been available as a video, and there … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Gotthard, hard rock, KROKUS, Marc Storace, melodic hard rock, More Stereo Crush, review
Leave a comment
Single review: JOANNE SHAW TAYLOR – Hell Or High Water
Website “Can I help you sir?” “Yes I’d like some gospel blues served up with a soupçon of acoustic guitar and banjo, with lashings and lashings of raunchy electric guitar and topped off with an economic but searing guitar solo” … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged blues, blues rock, guitarist, Hell or High Water, Joanne Shaw Taylor, review, single, soul
Leave a comment
Book review: WOODCUT – THE MAKING AND THE MEANING by Andy Stuart
Kingmaker Publishing [Publication date 06.02.26] Written to accompany the new album from Big Big Train, ‘Woodcut – The Making And The Meaning’ follows the gestation of what would result in the Progressive Rock band’s first concept album, through to the early … Continue reading
News: AEROSMITH, SAVATAGE, CAMBRIDGE FOLK FESTIVAL (February 2026)
Acid Reign will release a new album ‘Daze Of The Week’ on May 15. Aerosmith (pictured) release ‘Aerosmith (Legendary Edition)’ on March 20 as a limited-edition deluxe 5LP box, a 4LP slipcase, black and colour vinyl, 3CD, CD, and digital. Steven Tyler and … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Gigs and Tour News, Listening Post, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged Aerosmith, albums, AOR, blues, Cambridge Folk Festival, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, re-issues, RIP, Savatage, special editions, tour dates
Leave a comment
Album review: PHIL THORNALLEY – Stacked
Facebook [Release date 23.01.26] Here at GRTR! Towers we love the work of Phil Thornalley, be it his solo pop/power rock delights or with Astral Drive, a band whose albums should be in any self-respecting music lover’s collection. On his … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Casey Shea, melodic rock, Phil Thornalley, pop punk, pop rock, power pop, review, Stacked
Leave a comment
Album review: AMY HOPWOOD – Gone to Flowers
Website [Release date 19,02.26] When I first put this album on I thought you’ve got to be joking, its just a bunch of nursery rhymes sung by a little girl. But then I thought of Ivor Cutler, a strange old … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Amy Hopwood, folk, Gone to Flowers, Ivor Culter, John Peel, melodic, quirky, review, traditional music
Leave a comment
EP review: SAM CARTER – Oakham Poachers
Website [Release date 05.12.26] Sam Carter is a BBC Folk Award winning finger picking singer songwriter, who has travelled the world playing his narrative rich songs. He carries on this fifteen year tradition with five songs on this EP. He … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged EP, folk, guitarist, Jean Ritchie, Oakham Poachers, review, Sam Carter, singer songwriter
Leave a comment
Gig review: ELLES BAILEY – Wax and Beans, Bury, 19 January 2026
This is my first time attending one of these intimate record shop gigs, and what a delight it was. Elles Bailey, with her acoustic guitarist and best friend Demi Marriner in front of an audience of around fifty people. It … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 19 January 2026, blues, Bury, Can't Take My Story Away, Demi Marriner, Elles Bailey, gig, melodic, review, singer, soul, Wax and Beans
Leave a comment
Gig review: PAULIE BOY BLUES – The Eagle Inn, Manchester, 23 January 2026
Coincidentally, I have been thinking recently, where are all the up and coming guitar heroes? Starting in the late 60’s, early 70’s your favourite band would always have a guitar hero wouldn’t it, Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Iommi, Jimi Hendrix, Eric … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS
Tagged 23 January 2026, gig, guitarist, Jimi Hendrix, Manchester, Paulie Boy Blues, review, The Eagle Inn
Leave a comment
Album review: SEAN TAYLOR – First Light
Website [Release date 06.02.26] Multi instrumentalist and prolific songwriter Sean Taylor releases his fourteenth album First Light, full of eclecticity and surprises. His voice, reminiscent of JJ Cale is a pleasing toned whisper, blending well with the mostly acoustic backing … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, First Light, folk, review, Sean Taylor, singer songwriter
Leave a comment
Album review: THE HARA – The Fallout
Mascot Records [Release date 23.01.26] This album from The Hara tackles mental health struggles and subjects of toxicity and self-doubt along with the pitfalls of the industry on their journey. Channelling this into their livewire performances has seen them pick up … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, alt metal, indie, Mascot records, metal, review, The Fallout, the Hara
Leave a comment
Album review: VARIOUS – With A Little Help From My Friends, A Tribute To Matt Long
Website [Release date 20.03.26] Only the good die young they say, and bluesman Matt Long must have been a real good guy judging by the amount of artists offering their services on this tribute album. This list includes Joe Bonamassa, … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged A Tribute To Matt Long, album With A Little Help From My Friends, blues, Catfish, charity, Elles Bailey, fundraiser, guitarist, he Royal Surrey County Hospital, Jac Shultz, Joe Bonamassa, review, The Cinelli Bros, Walter Trout
Leave a comment
Album review: BIG BIG TRAIN – Woodcut
InsideOut Music [Release date 06.02.26] Woodcut is the sixteenth studio album from Big Big Train, the progressive rock band originally formed back in 1990. It sees a band that has had more than its fair share of line up changes … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged Alberto Bravin, album, Big Big Train, Greg Spawton, melodic, Nick D’Virgilio, prog rock, progressive, review, Rikard Sjoblom, Woodcut
Leave a comment
Quick plays: AVALANCHE, UUHAI
AVALANCHE Armed to the Teeth [Release date 13.02.26] Avalanche are husband & wife duo Steven Campbell on lead vocals & bass, and Veronica ‘V’ Campbell on lead guitar, who are joined by Blake Poulton on rhythm guitar and drummer Bon … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, Quick Plays
Tagged AC/DC, album, Armed to the Teeth, Avalanche, classic rock, folk, Human Herds, indie, metal, Quick Plays, review, rock, The Hu, traditional, Uuhai
Leave a comment
Album review: PETRA – Hope
Girder Records [Release date 12.01.26] 2026 could well be the year of the comeback and one highly anticipated is this new album from Petra, their first studio album since 2003’s ‘Jekyll & Hyde’. Petra have been touring on and off … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, AOR, Bob Hartman, Christian rock, Hope, John Schlitt, melodic rock, Petra, review, rock
Leave a comment
Album review: ZOE SCHWARZ – Colourful House
Website [Release date 31.10.25] Are they Blues? Are they jazz? Are they psychedelic? What the hell does it matter when they are are all fused together in such a seamless and powerful way. The Zoe Schwarz Blues Commotion release their … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, Blues Commotion, Colourful House, jazz, Pete Feenstra, psychedelic, review, Rob Koral, rock, THE DOORS, Zoe Schwarz
Leave a comment
Album review: DAVE RENEGADE – Haunted Heart
Bandcamp If you like taking journeys to despair and melancholy, look no further than this album by London’s Dave Renegade. This boy wears his pain on his sleeve and is not afraid to admit it. He himself acknowledges that it … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Bandcamp, Dave Renegade, Haunted Hearts, Pete Kosanovich, review, singer songwriter
Leave a comment
Gig review: PUNCHDRUNK SAINTS – Fairycroft House, Saffron Walden, December 27 2025
It is those no-man’s lands days between Christmas and New Year in 2025 and the Punchdrunk Saints have bravely decided to host their second ever gig after their debut in London’s 100 Club. Tonight’s gig at Fairycroft House, Saffron Walden … Continue reading
News: DEMON, QUEEN, PETRA (January 2026)
The All-American Rejects release their first album since 2012. ‘Sandbox’ will be released in February via Too Lost. Alt Blk Era have announced a new EP, ‘Our World’, which will arrive on May 22 via LAB Records. Tori Amos releases … Continue reading
Posted in Album News, ALL POSTS, Band Entrees & Exits, Books, Festivals & Large Events, Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Gigs and Tour News, NEWS, PledgeMusic/Kickstarter Campaigns, PURE METAL (All posts), Pure Metal/News, Re-issues/special editions, RIP
Tagged albums, AOR, blues, DEMON, folk, gigs, melodic rock, metal, news, Petra, Queen, re-issues, RIP, special editions, tour dates
Leave a comment
Album review: BEYOND THE BLACK – Break The Silence
Nuclear Blast [Release date 09.01.26] Amazingly Beyond The Black have been around since 2014 and this is their sixth album, although to this recent convert it seems like they only started out a few years ago! Beyond The Black’s line-up … Continue reading
Album review: CHARLOTTE SMITH & DAVID CLIFTON – The Tree In The Wood
Little Room Recordings [Release date 17.10.25] An album of traditional folk tunes reinterpreted by Charlotte Smith, a London based singer songwriter and David Clifton, an Oxford based guitarist and singer, formerly a member of the indie band Sensible Jerseys and … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, Charlotte Smith, David Clifton, folk, review, The Tree in the Wood, traditional music
Leave a comment
Single review: THE MOTHERZ – Sweat
Facebook With a name like The Motherz you’re not going to expect Abba are you. And how right you would be. To me they sound like the illegitimate offspring of Metallica and The Stooges. They claim to draw their influences … Continue reading
Posted in ALL POSTS, Single and EP reviews
Tagged classic rock, hard rock, metal, Motherz, review, single, Sweat
Leave a comment
Album review: ROSS HARDING – The Blood and the Blues
Website [Release date 14.11.125] I have reviewed Ross’s two singles from this album, Revelator Blues and Lucifer and Me. And I must admit on first listening of Revelator Blues, I fell in love with him, in a bro sort of way … Continue reading
Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS
Tagged album, blues, dark blues, guitarist, review, rock, Ross Harding, The Blood and the Blues
Leave a comment
